April 23, 2014

Canada: BC health worker fired for not getting flu vaccine

A B.C. care aide was fired for refusing to get vaccinated against influenza or wear a mask this past winter, B.C.'s Health Minister Terry Lake has confirmed, as part of his assessment of the province's flu season.

About 80 per cent of health care workers in the province elected to get the vaccine this season, 10 per cent more than last year. With the exception of the care aide who was fired, those who did not get vaccinated all agreed to wear masks at work during the flu season.

This was the first year either a mask or vaccine was required for all workers and visitors at health care facilities in the province.

Lake said a record number of 1.4 million B.C. residents were vaccinated, and the vaccine was rated 74 percent effective at protecting them against the predominate H1N1 strain of influenza.

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A B.C. care aide was fired for refusing to get vaccinated against influenza or wear a mask this past winter, B.C.'s Health Minister Terry Lake has confirmed, as part of his assessment of the province's flu season.

About 80 per cent of health care workers in the province elected to get the vaccine this season, 10 per cent more than last year. With the exception of the care aide who was fired, those who did not get vaccinated all agreed to wear masks at work during the flu season.

This was the first year either a mask or vaccine was required for all workers and visitors at health care facilities in the province.

Lake said a record number of 1.4 million B.C. residents were vaccinated, and the vaccine was rated 74 percent effective at protecting them against the predominate H1N1 strain of influenza.